My ABC Family

faq

Top Questions

What is WATCH ABC Family?

The new WATCH ABC Family player provides you with two ways to enjoy your favorite ABC Family shows like Pretty Little Liars & The Fosters. Watch full episodes anytime, anywhere, or watch ABC Family live on your favorite device! Just sign in with your TV provider* and start watching!

Where can I get WATCH ABC Family?
Your desktop computer at abcfamily.com
The iTunes App Store on supported Apple devices
Google Play or the Amazon Appstore on supported Android and Kindle Fire tablets
Windows Store on supported Windows devices

* You must sign in with a participating TV provider to view pre-selected ABC Family programs or to view the WATCH ABC Family live stream, in the U.S. on your computer or on supported mobile phones and tablets.

What is a TV provider?

A TV provider is the company you pay in order to get your television service, like a cable company, a satellite company or a telco (also called a telecommunications company). The TV providers who currently carry WATCH ABC Family are listed below.

What does "sign in" mean?

"Sign in" means you will need to log in with the username and password that you have set up through your TV provider in order to use the WATCH ABC Family player. All you have to do is select your TV Provider from the list, sign in with your username and password, and start watching!

What if I don't have a username and password?
Don't worry—all you have to do is visit your TV provider's website to register for a username and password. Or give your TV provider a call for more information.

Why do I have to sign in to watch?

To use the WATCH ABC Family player, we need you to sign in to verify that you have an active subscription with your TV provider. As soon as you sign in, you can watch full episodes of your favorite shows or choose to watch ABC Family live!

Is there an additional cost to watch?

There is no additional cost to watch. Your TV provider is offering you these awesome ways to watch ABC Family as part of your regular subscription. Hooray! All you have to do is sign in with your username and password and you can start watching full episodes of your favorite shows or choose to watch ABC Family live*!

*Program substitutions may apply for live programming.

Why can't I watch last night's full episode?

Hmm. Two possible reasons.

You forgot to sign in to verify that you have a current subscription with your TV provider. As soon as you sign in, you can start watching.

Your provider isn't participating yet. But don't panic—we're working hard to add more providers in the near future.

See What does "sign in" mean? for more info!

When are new episodes added to the player?

We usually add new episodes to the app at 2 AM PST, the day after they air on TV. Just sign in to start watching and you'll be caught up in a jiffy.

See What does "sign in" mean? for more info!

How can I find out if my TV provider is participating? What if they arent participating yet?

To view a list of participating providers, access WATCH ABC Family on your computer or mobile device and select “Watch Live” or “Live.” This will bring up the sign-in page with a list of participating TV providers. If you don’t see your provider on the list, don’t worry. We’re working hard to add more providers in the near future.

When I'm watching live on the player, why doesn't the programming match what's on my TV?

Sometimes we have to run different shows & movies on the player than what you see on your TV. Program substitutions may apply.

I forgot my username and password. What should I do?

No worries. Just choose your TV provider from the list, and you'll be taken to their website. Look for a button like "forgot password" and just follow the steps from there.

What if my TV provider and Internet provider aren't the same? Which one do I use?

Good question! You should use the username and password for your TV provider.

How do I sign in with my TV provider?

Just select your provider from the list, sign in using your username and password, and start watching!

Does ABC Family use my personal or TV provider account information?

We know your privacy is important to you. Please check out our privacy policy for more info!

Do I have to sign in every time I use the app?

The short answer is no, but check your TV provider's website to get the scoop as the length of time may vary.

How do I sign out?

It's easy! Just click the "Me" icon at the top of your screen, and then select "sign out" in the top right corner.

What are the minimum system requirements?

You must have the following minimum computer system requirements in order to play videos:

A high speed Internet connection with sufficient download speeds of 1.5 Mbps or better

If your device has the supported version of Adobe Flash listed in our system requirements, you may find that our site works in your mobile browser, but we do not support devices not listed and cannot guarantee that WATCH ABC Family will work as intended on your device.

Can I access WATCH ABC Family if I'm traveling or away from home?

Yes, you can access ABC Family from your supported device if you are traveling within the U.S. or its territories and have data access (e.g. 3G, 4G, mobile hot spot).

Please note that you must have access to a fast Internet connection speed (at least 1.5 mbps or better), otherwise your video playback may be hindered. See system requirements.

Is WATCH ABC Family available outside the U.S.?

WATCH ABC Family is only available if you're physically located within the U.S., its territories (including Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands).

I am serving on a U.S. military base located outside of the U.S. Can I still access your service?

Yes, if you're physically located on a U.S. military base that happens to be outside the U.S. and you are using a military-operated Internet connection (not a commercial Internet provider), then you will be able to access our service.

If you meet the above requirements but cannot access our service, please submit an inquiry using the Feedback form.

Is there a Customer Service number I can call?

Sure! We're here to help.

For questions and feedback related to ABC Family shows: 818-460-7477
For video playback and other technical issues: 1-800-278-8216

Why isn't my video playing?

Check your Internet download speed (Internet download speeds should be 1.5 Mbps or better). Your wifi or mobile signal indicator does not correlate to your download speed. There are a number of websites where you can conduct a free "Internet speed test."

Why do I need to enable Javascript? How do I do this?

The WATCH ABC Family site uses Javascript to improve your viewing experience. Javascript allow us to give you a more robust user interface, which is a fancy way of saying it makes things easier & better when it comes to the way you interact with the content in the app.

To Enable Javascript – Instructions depending on your browser:

Google Chrome

Select Chrome in the menu bar.

Choose Preferences.

Click "Show advanced settings…" at the bottom of the browser.

Click Content Settings in the "Privacy section."

Select Allow all sites to run JavaScript in the 'JavaScript' section.

Click Done to update.

Mozilla Firefox (mac)

Select Firefox in the menu bar.

Choose Preferences.

Choose Content from the top navigation.

Select the checkbox next to Enable JavaScript.

Internet Explorer

Select Tools from the top menu.

Choose Internet Options.

Click on the Security tab.

Click on Custom Level.

Scroll down until you see the section labeled "Scripting."

Under "Active Scripting," select Enable and click OK.

Apple Safari

Open the Safari menu on your browser's toolbar.

Choose Preferences.

Choose Security.

Select the checkbox next to Enable JavaScript.

Why do I have to accept cookies? How do I do this?

We use cookies to tell you what's new since your last visit, and to store your login info so that you don't have to enter it every time you visit.

Select the "Accept" or "Prompt" option under "Third-party Cookies."
(If you select the "Prompt" option, you'll be asked for approval every time a website attempts to send you a cookie.)

In the Internet Options window, click OK to exit.

Mozilla Firefox for Windows

Click Settings.

Click Privacy in the top panel.

Set "Firefox will:" to "Use custom settings for history."

Check the box next to "Accept cookies from sites" to enable cookies.

Click OK.

Mozilla Firefox for Mac

Select Firefox from the menu bar.

Select Preferences.

Click Privacy.

Set "Firefox will:" to "Use custom settings for history."

Check the box next to "Accept cookies from sites" to enable cookies.

Google Chrome for Windows

Click the Tools menu.

Click Settings.

Click "Show advanced settings…" at the bottom of the browser.

Click Content settings in the "Privacy" section.

Select Allow local data to be set to allow both first-party and third-party cookies. If you only want to accept first-party cookies, check the box next to "Block all third-party cookies without exception."

Click Done to update.

Google Chrome for Mac

Select Chrome in the menu bar.

Choose Preferences.

Click "Show advanced settings…" at the bottom of the browser.

Click Content settings in the "Privacy" section.

Select Allow local data to be set to allow both first-party and third-party cookies. If you only want to accept first-party cookies, check the box next to "Block all third-party cookies without exception."

Click Done to update.

Apple Safari

Select Safari in the menu bar.

Select Preferences.

Click Privacy in the top panel.

Under "Block cookies" select "From third parties and advertisers."

I'm getting an Adobe Flash shared objects error message.

The Adobe Flash shared objects error message occurs when your Flash storage settings are either too limited or set to "None." In order to resolve this issue, follow these steps:

Video playback stalls or is choppy.

Make sure you have a good connection for the best video viewing experience. Sometimes you may experience issues if the network is congested, your connection is weak, or when you have too many apps open at the same time.

Check your Internet download speed. Internet download speeds should be 1.5 Mbps or better. Your wifi or mobile signal indicator does not correlate to your download speed. There are a number of websites where you can conduct a free "Internet speed test." Do an Internet search.

Refresh your browser and try again.

Drag the rewind scrubber back in time several minutes in the program timeline.

Close other computer applications that may be open at the same time, which can drain memory or processing power.

Disconnect other Internet (e.g. Wi-Fi) connected devices that may be connected at the same time.

ABC Family Programming

How can I find the TV schedule?

What kind of movies do you show?

We air all kinds of movies—dramas, comedies, love stories, fantasies, classics, and more! To find out about what's airing soon on ABC Family, visit our schedule section.

Where can I send fan mail to your stars?

You can send all your fan letters to ABC Family, P.O. Box 3000, Neenah, WI 54957. Write the show's name and the actor or actress you want to reach on the outside of the envelope. We cannot promise that anyone will respond to your note, but we will make every effort to ensure that it reaches the intended recipient.

I want to watch online, but cannot find an ABC Family show, episode, or movie that aired on TV.

Sometimes we have to run different shows & movies on the player than what you have seen on your TV. Don't worry—programming in the WATCH ABC Family player is updated regularly, so check back again soon!

I was watching an episode or movie online or in the app previously, but cannot find it anymore.

That particular episode or movie may no longer be available in the WATCH ABC Family player. Check back again soon—programming in the WATCH ABC Family player is updated regularly!

Mobile Apps

Does the WATCH ABC Family app support iCloud for syncing between iOS devices?

Yes, the WATCH ABC Family app supports iCloud for syncing between iOS devices. This syncing features allows you to maintain your viewing history and resume videos across devices. iCloud must be activated on all devices for this feature to work.

To check whether you have iCloud enabled, tap on "Settings" from your home screen, then "iCloud." If you're not signed in to iCloud, you must sign in with your Apple ID and password. You must also sign in to iCloud on your other iOS device(s) using the same Apple account.

Can I stream my iOS device to my Apple TV using Airplay?

Sorry, Airplay on Apple TV is not currently supported.

While downloading the WATCH ABC Family app, the download got stuck before finishing.

If the app download icon appears stuck, you will need to delete and reinstall the app. Follow the steps below:

Touch and hold any application icon on the Home Screen until the icons start to wiggle.

Tap the "x" in the corner of the application you want to delete.

Tap "Delete" to remove the application and all of its data from your device.